PIR, a Viper, and the Turn 2 Tire Wall

[John Coffey]

Sunday, Phoenix International Raceway - the third of a three day NASA

Advanced Performance Driving School (called that for insurance reasons).

I'm in a four car pack consisting of a RT/10 Viper on Hoosiers (first

in the pack), a Baby Grand (Yamaha powered 1,200 lb mini-stock car on racing

slicks), a E30 M3 (chipped and on Kumhos), and me in a Solo2 BSP 1970 240Z.

At the start of the session I spent a couple laps getting past the BMW and three more getting past the Baby Grand. Both are really quick in the

infield. I was able to stay with them in turns 2 thru 9 and then power past

them on the oval. But the Viper is a different story.

I was able to go deeper into turns 1 and 2 than the Viper and I could really

push him hard through the rest of the infield. He could out accelerate me

so I had to get my speed coming out of the corners and out brake him at the

end of the oval and the short straight between 7 and 9. So that was my

strategy for 6 laps. I never could quite get by him but I got my nose

inside of him in a number of turns. I was definitely worrying him and he

did almost spin coming out of 3. That was my chance but I hesitated 'cuz I

didn't know where he would end up. He caught it and continued on.

I got pinched behind a Pro7 Rx7 and the Baby Grand got by me. The Viper

pulled out a couple car lengths. Onto the oval I passed the Baby Grand. At

the end of the front straight I was about 110 - 115 mph.

(BTW1... The entry to Turn 1 is tricky because you are coming down off the

banking into the infield part of the road course. There's a pavement

transition that unsettles the car so you have to go through there straight

and on the throttle. After that transition you brake hard, downshift, and

set up for Turn 2, which is a decreasing radius.)

So... I brake checked at the end of the front straight and went through Turn

1 at about 105 - 110. Squeezed on the brakes hard after the car settled

and... Uh Oh! (you Z racers know the feeling)

(BTW2... my car is setup for autocross so I'm not allowed, per the Street

Prepared rules, to run brake cooling ducts. I do bleed and adjust the brakes

after each session but they only last so long when the outside temp is 104

degrees and you're chasing a 400hp Viper.)

The car is pushing out (my tires were pretty hot at this point too) and I

downshifted and braked with all I had. I was able to turn in a bit for Turn

2 but I was way wide and the back end was starting to come around. I eased

up on the brakes and added some throttle to settle the car but by then I was

in the marbles. The car slid off the track and went through about 20' of

dirt before bumping, completely sideways, into the tire wall at about 10

mph.

Go into the accident routine: Shut the car off, look around inside and out

for smoke/fire. Nothing. Give the corner worker a thumbs up. Start the

car and check the gauges. Everything's OK. Point at the corner worker and

he signals when its safe to go. Pull out and head back into the paddock.

Well... the car is covered in dirt and every body panel on the right side is

dented and scraped. It was a really nice, straight, and clean 1970 240Z.

But, no real structural damage: door opens and closes fine, hood, door, and

hatch gaps are the same, crossmembers are square, check camber and toe and

they are OK, not a mark on the wheels or the bumpers, and the side marker

lights are intact. I got off lucky. Maybe $1,000 worth of body and paint

repair.

So, I clean the car up, bleed and adjust the brakes, and run the next

session without a problem. I did stay away from the Viper though...

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John Coffey

johncof@veriomail.com

[Mike]

Nice story (very well put together)!

Too bad about the car. I'm sure you'll come up with something to make her look great again.

I'm happy to see that the Z was able to keep up with the Viper. Now, that's a hell of a story.

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Mike Gholson

1971 240z, Mikuni Carbs, Tokico 5-way Adjustable Struts, Ferarri Yellow, Stock Engine, 15x9 wheels w/50 series Falken tires, Currently being restored.

[Bambikiller240]

John: I enjoyed your story, but too bad about the Z. It must take BALLS to put a 70Z "on the line" in a track situation. Glad you and it came out more or less OK. I would love to have seen you climbing all over the rear of the Viper! OLD SCHOOL!

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Carl Stahlnecker

72 240Z HLS30-55703 MFG 11/71

All original except Bambi's Fender, Bumper, & Hood